tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
iScience
. 2025 Jan 22;28(3):111875.
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.111875. eCollection 2025 Mar 21. Increased pathogenicity and transmissibility in hamsters of all age groups reveal an underestimated perniciousness of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 EG.1 variant
Ming Zhou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jian Ma[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mujin Fang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xuan Liu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Chang Zhang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kun Wu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jianghui Ye[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yali Zhang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Quan Yuan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rirong Chen[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Peiwen Chen[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Huachen Zhu[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Yi Guan[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Tong Cheng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lunzhi Yuan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ningshao Xia[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
The evolution and mutation of SARS-CoV-2 is elusive. However, the diverse in vivo pathogenicity and transmissibility of different SARS-CoV-2 Omicron/XBB variants are not well understood. We compared virological attributes of two XBB variants, XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.9.2.1 (EG.1) in new-born, juvenile, adult, middle-aged and senescent Syrian hamsters. In particular, EG.1 has a specific Q613H mutation and causes fatal severe pneumonia in hamsters of all ages. In contrast, all hamsters infected with XBB.1.16 survived and showed milder symptoms. The XBB.1.16 infected hamsters lost significantly less body weight and exhibited lower respiratory viral loads, pro-inflammatory cytokines and lung injury than those with EG.1 infection. In addition, EG.1 is more transmissible than XBB.1.16 in close contact co-housing. Both EG.1 and XBB.1.16 are highly resistant to therapeutic antibodies and convalescent serum. Overall, the unpredictable evolution, global transmission and potential threat of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants necessitate the updating of prophylactic and therapeutic countermeasures in all age groups.
Keywords: Biological sciences; Immune response; Immunology; Natural sciences.
. 2025 Jan 22;28(3):111875.
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.111875. eCollection 2025 Mar 21. Increased pathogenicity and transmissibility in hamsters of all age groups reveal an underestimated perniciousness of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 EG.1 variant
Ming Zhou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jian Ma[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mujin Fang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xuan Liu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Chang Zhang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kun Wu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jianghui Ye[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yali Zhang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Quan Yuan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rirong Chen[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Peiwen Chen[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Huachen Zhu[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Yi Guan[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Tong Cheng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lunzhi Yuan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ningshao Xia[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 40034851
- PMCID: PMC11872406
- DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.111875
The evolution and mutation of SARS-CoV-2 is elusive. However, the diverse in vivo pathogenicity and transmissibility of different SARS-CoV-2 Omicron/XBB variants are not well understood. We compared virological attributes of two XBB variants, XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.9.2.1 (EG.1) in new-born, juvenile, adult, middle-aged and senescent Syrian hamsters. In particular, EG.1 has a specific Q613H mutation and causes fatal severe pneumonia in hamsters of all ages. In contrast, all hamsters infected with XBB.1.16 survived and showed milder symptoms. The XBB.1.16 infected hamsters lost significantly less body weight and exhibited lower respiratory viral loads, pro-inflammatory cytokines and lung injury than those with EG.1 infection. In addition, EG.1 is more transmissible than XBB.1.16 in close contact co-housing. Both EG.1 and XBB.1.16 are highly resistant to therapeutic antibodies and convalescent serum. Overall, the unpredictable evolution, global transmission and potential threat of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants necessitate the updating of prophylactic and therapeutic countermeasures in all age groups.
Keywords: Biological sciences; Immune response; Immunology; Natural sciences.